Despite its name November 8 is a day that represents the celebration of learning.
It’s Dunce Day and, as is the case every November 8, it’s a time to celebrate the ability to learn. This year, take the chance to discover some of the most common home safety mistakes, so you can avoid being a dunce about them!
The name of the day is associated with dunce caps from older education methods.
Dunce Day’s origins trace back to medieval times in Duns, Scotland, which was named after Duns Scotus, a scholar from the time. He greatly valued knowledge and thought that wearing a cone-shaped hat could boost the potential for learning as knowledge would flow down from the point of the cap into the wearer’s head. This helped to explain the shape of the dunce cap worn in classrooms, as the original purpose was to help students who weren’t at their best behavior to become more scholarly.
Today, we can use the celebration of Dunce Day to remind us to learn things that are important to our lives…and avoid being a dunce. This year, take some time to find out the most common home safety mistakes. These mistakes place your safety, the safety of your family, and your home and property at risk.
Celebrate Dunce Day by avoiding these safety mistakes that could cause a fire in your home.
Avoiding these home safety mistakes can save you harm, property damage, and financial catastrophe.
• Leaving a hot stove unattended – This is a terrible idea. Every second you’re away from a hot stove (whether it is on or very recently turned off) is a risk to your home. Unattended stoves are among the leading causes of house fires, as the tiniest spark or even just a spoon or piece of food shifting unexpectedly can cause a fire to rapidly spark and spread.
• Using frayed or shorting electric cords – Whether the shorting or frayed electrical cord belongs to an appliance, home electronics, an electrical socket, or a light switch, it means that it will behave unpredictably. It may be a hassle to repair or replace it, but it will dramatically reduce your risk of shock or fire if you do.
• Letting dryer lint build up – A dryer is virtually designed to make it easy for a fire to start. It provides extremely flammable lint, heat, and a source of oxygen. Keeping your appliance operating efficiently and cleaning the lint trap are two ways to make sure your risk of fire stays low. That said, you should also clean the lint out of the dryer vent, as it builds up rapidly, far beyond what most homeowners expect.
This Dunce Day, let the knowledge flow into your head, avoid common home safety mistakes, and keep yourself and your family safe.
